1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to manufacturing and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for manufacturing aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for moving aircraft structures during a manufacturing process.
2. Background
In manufacturing aircraft, portions of an aircraft are assembled and then put together to form the aircraft. For example, the fuselage of an aircraft may be formed by assembling a structure, such as a frame. Thereafter, skin panels may be attached to the frame to form the fuselage. As another example, with composite materials, the fuselage may be created in cylindrical sections. These different cylindrical sections may be put together to form the fuselage of an aircraft.
In yet another example, wings, horizontal stabilizers, and vertical stabilizers may be assembled from smaller pieces or components. For example, with a wing, ribs, spars, and skin panels may be assembled to form the wing.
In assembling the structures, operations such as, for example, without limitation, positioning, drilling, fastening, painting, sanding, and/or other suitable operations are performed to manufacture a wing. Currently, operations are typically performed with the wing in a stationary position, and the different tools are moved around the wing to perform the different assembly operations.
The tools may be moved by human operators. In other instances, the tools may be automated tools that move on a rail, track, or wheel system. Some operations may be performed on the wing at a first station. Thereafter, the wing may be moved to another station at which additional operations are performed. As an example, one station may have tools to perform drilling and fastening operations for skin panels, while another station may have tools to paint the wing. This type of assembly may require more time than desired to assemble the wing.
The movement of the wing from one station to another station takes time during which operations on the wing are not performed. As a result, the time needed to move the wing from one station to another station adds to the total amount of time needed to assemble the wing.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.